The Comic Book Heroes: The First History of Modern Comic Books - From the Silver Age to the Present

by Gerard Jones, Will Jacobs

The Comic Book Heroes begins with that first issue of the Flash, an event that would alter American pop culture forever. It’s the story both of the superheroes and their all-too-human creators. From "the avuncular chipmunk," Julius Schwartz, to Todd McFarlane and his bloody Spawn, the writers, artists, and editors have cast the heroes for generations of American kids in the mold of their own personalities and inner struggles.

From the Flash’s 1956 debut until his death in 1986, from the relevance movement of the `70s to the ultra-violence of the `90s, and from the kid-driven market of the past to the speculator-driven market of the present, The Comic Book Heroes shows how America has changed since the `50s—and makes some provocative points about what America’s kids are reading today.

Completely revised and updated from the 1985 edition, The Comic Book Heroes is the most complete, engaging, and opinionated history of comics ever. Mind-blowingly detailed, breathtakingly informative, and fascinating reading, this is the one history of comics you absolutely must have!

About the Authors

Gerard Jones has written the adventures of the world’s greatest heroes, including the Justice League, Batman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics, and the X-Men, the Hulk, and his own creation, Prime, for Marvel Comics.

Will Jacobs is a former contributing editor to The National Lampoon and the cocreator (with Jones) of the comic book series, The Trouble with Girls.

Genres: Comics, Comic Book, Nonfiction, History

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 1986

About the author

Gerard Jones is an award-winning American author and comic book writer. From 1987 to 2001, Jones wrote many comic books for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Viz Media, Malibu Comics and other publishers; including Green Lantern, Justice League, Prime, Ultraforce, El Diablo, Wonder Man, Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, The Shadow, Pokémon, and Batman.

Jones is author of the Eisner Award-winning Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book (2004); Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Superheroes and Make-Believe Violence (2002), and Honey I'm Home: Sitcoms Selling the American Dream (1993). Jones is co-author with Will Jacobs of The Beaver Papers (1983), The Comic Book Heroes (1985, 1996), and the comic book The Trouble with Girls (1987-1993). From 1983 to 1988, Jacobs and Jones were contributors to National Lampoon magazine. He and Jacobs began writing humorous fiction again in 2008 with the online series My Pal Splendid Man and Million Dollar Ideas

Reviews

[Buddy Scalera · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have been titled "The Bitter History of Comics."

It is an angry, stilted, non-researched history of comics, as told by semi-insiders who passed through comics briefly and then left. Actually, co-author Gerard Jones may be more famous now for being convicted on child pornography charges and being in prison:
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/gerar...
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/green...

But how is the book?
It's hard to separate personal and professional feelings. So it would seem that the authors make little to no attempt to separate their limited professional work from their supposedly historial work. There's no sourcing of any of their opinions or facts. There is no attempt to hide their contempt for certain contemporaries, all of whom are dramatically more successful as creators.

Yeah, but how is the book?
It depends. If you like opinion sprinked with some facts, it's definitely worth checking out. If you want to collect insights into how gossip and misinformation gets published, this is the book for you. And, if you want to see how authors bend history to their personal preferences, how the prop up people they like, and how they tear down people they don't like, run and buy a copy.

So...how is it?
To be honest, there is some good stuff in there, but there's no way to validate the accuracy of any of it. It may have come from anecdotes and conversations, but very little of it is sourced. None of the contempt, anger, or bitterness is sourced.

In fact, there are sections where you wonder if this should have been marketed as a tell-all insider book with no pretentions of actual historical accuracy. At least then you could position it properly. Unfortunately, someone could accidentally be led to believe that this book was well researched. It may have been, but it certainly doesn't show any proof.

I had read the original version years and years ago. The revised version sat on my shelf for years, until I recently pulled it down. I'm sort of mad at myself for completing the book, even as I started to see the patterns of bitterness and misinformation hitting the pages.

There aren't a huge number of high-quality books about the history of the comic book industry. This one adds little to change that.

Far Better Reads About the Comic Book Business:
Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human by Grant Morrison
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Keith Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jones' book is an opinionated insider's history of superhero comics. Careers in comics rarely get second acts and aging creators tend to look on their successors with bitterness and disgust, while looking back on their own predecessors with nostalgia and hero-worship. Jones unloads on the Vertigo and Image creators that eclipsed his generation of superhero writers and artists. The results are fun and informative, if a little depressing at times.

[Marlan Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part-time comics writers Gerard Jones and Will Jacobs detail the creation and evolution of superhero comics from 1956, the Silver Age heroes, and SHOWCASE #4 up to 1996, the modern day comic market, and Image comics. The interesting thing about this book is the immense size of it, which allows inclusion of big events -- the Batcraze of the '60's, the crappy comic market of the '70's, the black & white craze of the '80's and the Image craze of the '90's, along with the minor events -- failed but important comics from the '60's through the '90's, but especially the authors' own THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS and their other projects. The authors' views of the comics, their creators, and their publishers are incredibly opinionated, so much so that it's a good thing that they're both part-time comic people, as they've burned a great many bridges. The alternate title of this book may be "The Life And Art Of Jack Kirby" but that seems to be less of the authors' obvious love for Kirby and the work he did and more of an example of how crucial and important Kirby was to the comic book superheroes he created and what was done to them- and him- after that creation. The second to last chapter is one of the most depressing and angry statements a devoted comic reader may ever read, but the final chapter is filled with a bright, optimistic hope that comics and our superheroes will find their way again, as they have repeatedly in the past.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a now somewhat dated but thoroughly researched look at the silver age of comics on into the Bronze Age. Not surprisingly, the best and most interesting chapters involve the factors and creators that developed that period, and analysis of the results. While I don’t always agree with their takes on the comics themselves, the reporting on the creators and circumstances seems to be spot on.

Unfortunately, I read the first edition, which ends around 1984. I’d have been interested to read the material added for the second edition, which discusses such developments as the Vertigo line. Despite these shortcomings, this was a worthy read and is particularly recommended for any with an interest in the comics medium.

[Mick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know enough about comic book studies to say whether or not this is the definitive work on the history of comics from the Silver Age to the mid-90s. Probably other works have explored this history since it came out in 1997. But it is very complete. And a fine read too.

With the number of creators mentioned, switching constantly as they were from series to series, from Marvel to DC and back, I would have benefited from some charts. It was a bit difficult to keep track of who was working on what.

Jones and Jacobs are excellent writers, and their dry, piquant, observations about comics and society added to the overall enjoyment of the book.

[Gonzalo Oyanedel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuando alguien es tan concluyente para responder si acaso puede o no separarse la obra de su autor, pienso en este guionista e investigador que derribó su propio legado y cuya sola mención ya provoca incomodidad. Queda, en todo caso este excelente trabajo que continúa la revisión de su anterior "Men of Tomorrow": Trabajos abocados a mostrar la cara oculta de una industria empecinada en fijar la luz sobre los "soñadores" y los "mitos modernos" mientras esconde su basura bajo la alfombra. Imperdible para los estudiosos y seguidores.

[Nick Tangborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the first in-depth examinations of modern comics and well researched.

[Jdetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a history of comics that does have a point of view, which is great to read. I don't always agree with that point of view, but the book is better for having one. My bigger problem is where the point of view of the authors compromises the work; more weight is given to projects in which the authors were involved then I think history would find appropriate.